Dealing with life as an anxiety suffer | Lets Talk

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

I've been wanting to do a post like this for a while now and I have finally gotten round to it, I firstly wanted to state that just because these things happen to me as an anxiety sufferer they may not happen to you as the illness is different for most people but I thought I'd share my experiences and hopefully help someone along the way to understand that they're not alone. Being stuck with an illness which restricts how you do things and dealing with everyday life, it can often feel isolated, so I thought this may help with that feeling. I hope you enjoy reading, and let me know your thoughts!

1. Queues
Something that should be a simple exchange for most turns into something a lot more difficult, where I am concerned as soon as I join a queue whether that be for food or to purchase something I have to access who I might be served by and then what I can possibly talk to them about, will they judge me? Food is even worse, I have to plan exactly what I am having before I arrive at the till or before the waiter arrives, I often have things I don't like on my food out of being too scared to be awkward and say I don't want that on my food.

2. Nights out
Being a university student, nights out are often on the cards but for me they are my worst nightmare. Having a room crammed with drunk people, often touching you, not being able to break free for air. Feeling stuck and the amount of people who could possibly be judging me, what are they thinking about me? What if I fall over? I am honestly petrified of nights out so much I just don't do them.

3. Stairs
This is one of the worst ones for me, whether it is going up or down them I always plan the worst situation in my head. I may fall on my face, I may trip and hurt myself. What if I fall down the bottom two steps and hurt myself. What if I trip up on the way and slip down them. What are people thinking behind me? I like to walk slow up them to make sure I don't miss any steps but others don't see it that way.

4. New People
This is one of my WORST fears as an anxiety sufferer, I hate meeting new people. You have to introduce yourself, you have to speak to people and what if you mess up? Like what will they think of you? What if they hate the way I am or speak and think I am weird. I recently started a new job and I panicked for almost a week before hand about what the people would think about me.

I hope you found this helpful and also if you want a part two let me know!

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10 comments:

Thanks for sharing this post! I thought it was just me who planned things in their head before talking to people. It makes me so anxious queuing in shops especially if the person on the till tries and talks to you! Great post lovely xx

I really struggle with the stairs thing too - I thought I was the only one! Sometimes they absolutely petrify me and I walk down them ridiculously slowly because all I can imagine is me slipping and tumbling. I hate how unreliable my anxiety makes me socially. I'm always that person that cancels at the very last minute because I just get too anxious about going out/talking to people/the way I look, and it's much worse with nights out. Ironically I'm much better with impromptu plans - then I have less time to work myself up into a state about them!

I suffer very badly with anxiety. Every day, I swear, I find something new to worry about! Meeting new people is a big one for me too. Thanks for sharing, I definitely think it does help to know you're not alone. Would like a part 2 if you decide to do one :) x www.aimeeraindropwrites.co.uk x

Meeting new people is a big one for me to. In fact going out of the house without my partner (who works full time)can be difficult. I also have a physical health condition and the medication I take for it gives me shaky hands and legs so I feel paranoid that people will be looking at me/talking about me thinking/saying I'm an alcoholic or drug addict waiting for my next fix! I can't face standing with parents at school drop off/pick up time, fortunately the school my son goes to have been understanding and I'm allowed to park in the school car park and drop him off/pick him up 20 mins early/late straight from the office. I hate how this dictates my life. Some days are better than others and I try to make the most of them... I totally get the comment above about cancelling things at the last minute to. You make arrangements and commitments because you want a life but then cancel at last minute when anxiety takes over! I wish you and those who have commented (and every other sufferer) all the best in trying to overcome this or at least get to a point where you are ruling your anxiety more than it is ruling you xxx

*nods* New people, even acquaintances, are terrifying to me. Depending how strong I'm feeling/how well I'm doing that day depends on whether I can face people or not. It's awful, I hate having to back out of events and stuff so often because I just can't deal with them, so many people don't understand that it's because I'm ill and just think I'm rude.